A Fountain Sealed

r, and the girl, who had come into the room with her light, soft step,

"Quite," Valerie replied. "I have been going over things with Mr. Haliwell, you know." She

h she held very firmly. Imogen was rejoiced for her that she should find a field of real usefulness-were it only that of housekeeping and seeing to weekly bills; but there was certainly a touch of the inappropriate, perhaps of t

woman and add figures and keep an eye on investment to your heart's content. I know absolutely nothing of the techn

her daughter, gravely and a little timidly. And as, in silence, she lightly dotted her pen over the paper under her hand, uncerta

er our talk, dear. I must

lerie was vague.

ctures now. I've got up a big class for her-when I say 'I,' I mean, of course, with the help of all my dear, good friends who are always so ready to back me up in my undertakings. She is an immensely interesting woman; ug

iness as soon as possible so that you may keep your appointment." And now, after this digression, sh

lded in her lap, sat across

We never talked abo

ll-you s

t hoard it, mama dear. Indeed, I know that his feeling against accumulations of capit

s from the paper where her pen now drew a few neat lines. "Yes. But he has le

face from gentl

oint; we don't hold with that over here. We believe in equipping the man, giving him power for independence, and we expec

, you know, with Mr. Haliwell, am one of your trustees

ad perfect trust in me.

d it? Don't imagine t

g on so well. There is my girls' club on the East side, my girls' club in Vermont; there is the Crippled Children's Home,-quite numberless charities I'm interested in. It's been one thing after another, money has not lacked,-but time has, to answer all the claims upon me. And then," here Imogen smiled again, "I believe in the claims of the self,

nerous child and love to give pleasure; and your father refused you nothing. It's my fault, too. My more mercena

s as to the right way to spend money, mama. Don't bl

bled for cripples and clubs and artistic boys. I don't care about them a bit compared to you and Eddy. But this is all beside the mark. T

ts, fixing eyes of deep, and somewhat co

u had minded for Eddy and m

y little mo

e, before saying, "Surely you were

but, yes, qu

ent it all-

re. In the first years of my marriage, before the selfish mother-thing was developed in me, I handed a good deal of my capital over to him, for his work, his various projects; in order

one family; that, of course, was your own choice. But, putting that aside, you must surely, still, have a good deal left. See how you live; see how you are taken care o

May I ask what that dres

ng the best. This, for t

dred do

lly on her mind. "I know that clothes over here are ruinous. Now mine

nce, now of some helple

ought-and I couldn't spend my time-on clothes. And then the standard of wages i

me fifty pounds a year. I keep two maids, my own maid, a cook, a gardener; there's a pony and trap and a stable-bo

lated, a note of sharp alarm in her voice. "That, o

you have, cer

t something! He must have made

ll and I, that we may secure an amount that will bring our whole income to about five thousand dollars a year. If we go on living in New York it will require the greatest ca

nd compunction, saw tears near the surface, and that, to control them, she fixe

you, either; I only suggested it so that you might see clearly just w

mently. "I can't leave this house! I can't!

e quickly and came round the table to her, putti

r eyes with one hand, h

should have bee

I was not admitted to y

ometimes, you must remem

e made a great deal-I thought you had

vented some of it. But-it has seemed so inevitable." The tears rose in Valerie's eyes also; she looked away to conquer them. "Don't blame me too m

t on: "Lea

l stay on here, for a time at least-until you marry, Imogen. You will probably

"Oh, mama! don't-don't-bring your horrible Europ

indeed, dear, I didn't mean t

oney problems can be solved by a thing that is sacred, sac

ity. The insight added to her tenderness. She touched the girl's hair softly, said, in a soothing voice, that she had meant nothing, nothing

owing that it would ever be lifted, and with this acceptance the sense of humiliation left her, so that she could more clearly see that she had had a right to her dismay. Her crippled life would hurt not only herself, but all that she meant to others-her beneficence, her radiance, her loving power; so hurt it, that, for one dark moment, had come just a dart of severity toward her father. The memory of her mother's implied criticism had repulsed it; dear, wonderful, transcendentalist, she must be worthy of him and not allow her thoughts, in their coward panic, to sink to the mother's level. This was the deepest call upon her courage that h

ns. She had not expected that it would be really so painful, in such trivial matters, to adjust herself to the most ordinary maternal sacrifices. It only showed her the more plainly how

st link that bound her to "over there." Besides,-Valerie was a luxurious woman,-unpleasant visions went through her mind of mud to be brushed off and braid to be put on the bottoms of skirts; stockings to darn-she was sure that it was loathsome to darn stockings; buttons to keep in their places; all the thousa

ve with us here, then. And we can be very economical about food and clothes; I c

thing must be done, rath

Valerie attempted further to lighten the other's g

e many other calls upon me, dear, and it will n

e about most are the on

mama. The ones that need me mo

l of her life, was glib, assured. But the necessity for tenderness and forbearance was strongly with her. She went round the

the kiss. But, after Imogen had left her, she sat for a long time, very s